Senate Democrats Pass Carbon Plan Over GOP Boycott

Nov. 5 (Bloomberg) — Senate Democrats won committee approval today of a “cap-and-trade” bill to reduce U.S. greenhouse gases over the objection of Republicans who say the legislation is being rushed.

Ten of the 12 Democrats on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee supported the measure. Senator Max Baucus, a Montana Democrat, voted against the bill. Senator Tom Carper, a Delaware Democrat who wasn’t present for the vote, later said he would have voted in favor.

“We’re hearing the call to get moving on this,” said Chairwoman Barbara Boxer, a California Democrat and cosponsor of the bill.

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The legislation had been tied up in the committee for two days by the Republicans, led by Senator James Inhofe of Oklahoma, who said the bill’s impact on the economy hadn’t been adequately studied. They boycotted most of the panel’s meetings this week to try to prevent a vote until the Environmental Protection Agency reviews the bill further.

Boxer said the Republican call for further study was a stalling tactic. The Senate cap-and-trade proposal draws heavily from legislation that passed the House in June, and the EPA’s studies of that measure were good enough for the committee to vote, she said.